Heinicke Starting

[countryroads316]

Well Sam Howell probably won't get any playing time and if he does it won't be enough to know if he is the answer or not and they will need a QB but won't be high enough in the Draft to get one the never ending tale of Washington

 

[deanpet21]

I don't understand this decision. Even if TH does do well, are they really going to sign him next year? He is a FA. Sure, I will route for him, but I thought they would have started Howell. Plus, this decision makes RR even more like a bonehead b/c he basically said anybody but TH in FA. IF TH does do well, how does he explain this past offseason?

 

[skinsdad62]

I don't understand this decision. Even if TH does do well, are they really going to sign him next year? He is a FA. Sure, I will route for him, but I thought they would have started Howell. Plus, this decision makes RR even more like a bonehead b/c he basically said anybody but TH in FA. IF TH does do well, how does he explain this past offseason?

Sometimes I dont get you , they are trying to salvage the season at this point , they are one game away from the playoffs . Right now anyone with a brain knows we would be 2-4 with Falco right now and that Howell might not be ready to make a run at a playoff spot . As long as there is a punchers chance the HC is going to try to win games even if it’s detrimental to the future

 

[Sportster 72]

Now is not the time for Howell. Give Heinicke at least a couple of games. I think the offense will operate better with him behind center. I think Howell can move too but I think Heinicke has several years in this offense. As several have said they still have a shot .... a long shot but a shot. I kind of want to see what TH can do with additional weapons and if he can cut sacks down.

As I remember it in preseason TH looked bad in one preseason game and good in the 2nd one.

 

[deanpet21]

Sometimes I dont get you , they are trying to salvage the season at this point , they are one game away from the playoffs . Right now anyone with a brain knows we would be 2-4 with Falco right now and that Howell might not be ready to make a run at a playoff spot . As long as there is a punchers chance the HC is going to try to win games even if it’s detrimental to the future

He knows what he has in TH. You dont know if he can't win with Howell. I hope TH does well, but if you thought TH could win in this league why go trade for Wentz? In my mind he made the trade for Wentz b/c RR believes he can't win with TH. It was anything but TH in the offseason. That was so clear. Look at the Patriots rookie QB in Zappe. He is winning. It can happen. IF TH actually wins this year, it just makes RR look like a complete ass. The whole reason for the overpay to get Wentz was b/c RR had no confidence in TH. So now he changes his mind and thinks he can win with TH?

#1 priority this offseason was a QB. Why? b/c RR didn't believe he had one on the roster.

 

[wilwhite]

If the coaches thought Howell gave them the best chance this week, they’d play him. If they lose the next couple of games the calculus changes and you might as well get Howell some experience. There will still be half a season left which would be plenty of time to evaluate. (And fire Rivera while you’re at it.)

 

[skinz2winz]

Now is not the time for Howell. Give Heinicke at least a couple of games. I think the offense will operate better with him behind center. I think Howell can move too but I think Heinicke has several years in this offense. As several have said they still have a shot .... a long shot but a shot. I kind of want to see what TH can do with additional weapons and if he can cut sacks down.

As I remember it in preseason TH looked bad in one preseason game and good in the 2nd one.

More importantly Howell would be playing while other guys have something to play for. By the time we see Howell, we will have waved the white towel. That doesn't bode well for Howell. Now is the time. This team stinks and maybe he can provide a spark. We all know TH is limited with downfield offense. Every other defense knows this as well.

 

[Sportster 72]

More importantly Howell would be playing while other guys have something to play for. By the time we see Howell, we will have waved the white towel. That doesn't bode well for Howell. Now is the time. This team stinks and maybe he can provide a spark. We all know TH is limited with downfield offense. Every other defense knows this as well.

Not how I see it.

 

[skinsdad62]

He knows what he has in TH. You dont know if he can't win with Howell. I hope TH does well, but if you thought TH could win in this league why go trade for Wentz? In my mind he made the trade for Wentz b/c RR believes he can't win with TH. It was anything but TH in the offseason. That was so clear. Look at the Patriots rookie QB in Zappe. He is winning. It can happen. IF TH actually wins this year, it just makes RR look like a complete ass. The whole reason for the overpay to get Wentz was b/c RR had no confidence in TH. So now he changes his mind and thinks he can win with TH?

#1 priority this offseason was a QB. Why? b/c RR didn't believe he had one on the roster.

Yes he does know dean , what he has in Falco , a guy who won 7 games last year with inferior weapons . Look we all know wince is better then falco but he isn’t that much better and again we are at least 2-4 with him ( falco ) in the lineup

falco goes 2-2 or better then he hole trade looks like a panic move bust

wince has to have 6 more winning starts to better Falco and I don’t see it , I don’t see falco getting that many either

starting Howell unless in case of injuries is tanking the season and RR will lose the locker room

 

[deanpet21]

Yes he does know dean , what he has in Falco , a guy who won 7 games last year with inferior weapons . Look we all know wince is better then falco but he isn’t that much better and again we are at least 2-4 with him ( falco ) in the lineup

falco goes 2-2 or better then he hole trade looks like a panic move bust

wince has to have 6 more winning starts to better Falco and I don’t see it , I don’t see falco getting that many either

starting Howell unless in case of injuries is tanking the season and RR will lose the locker room

RR knows he couldn't win with TH that is why he traded for Wentz in the offseason. I understand if Wentz got hurt in game that TH should come in. But when you have a week and half to prepare the rookie to start, he should have gotten the nod. The locker room knows why Wentz was brought here, b/c nobody believes in TH. We had 3 first rounds picks sent to Seattle for Wilson. What does that tell you when TH was already on the roster?

This move just makes the Wentz trade even worst. I will route for TH but I thought he would give the rookie the start. The excuse was he wasn't ready is bs to me. IF Zappe is ready so his Howell.

 

[Sportster 72]

Reminds me of when the starting QB, don't remember who now for Pittsburgh got hurt and Faneca told a reporter "well there goes the season." Big Ben helped them get to the playoffs.

 

[Brock2005]

As long as the line is blocking like they have been, you could put God himself back there and he'd get sacked.

 

[skinsdad62]

RR knows he couldn't win with TH that is why he traded for Wentz in the offseason. I understand if Wentz got hurt in game that TH should come in. But when you have a week and half to prepare the rookie to start, he should have gotten the nod. The locker room knows why Wentz was brought here, b/c nobody believes in TH. We had 3 first rounds picks sent to Seattle for Wilson. What does that tell you when TH was already on the roster?

This move just makes the Wentz trade even worst. I will route for TH but I thought he would give the rookie the start. The excuse was he wasn't ready is bs to me. IF Zappe is ready so his Howell.

Again , wince isn’t delivering on the hype , right now falco would have been at least 2-4 . wince needed to show more and I doubt he gets 6 more wins in his starts to be a mere 1 game better

 

[duke1861]

So let me get this straight.

Rivera cannot win with TH?
Yes and no. Rivera knows what he has as Skinsdad pointed out. That being said, is TH the best option at this time? The answer is yes.

The real kicker is that Rivera cannot win with Wentz either. Let that one sink in. The team should be 1-5. Keep in mind, Rivera is on track for 5 straight losing seasons (dating back from CAR). Does any team in the NFL have a coach with 5 straight losing seasons? Maybe the QB is not the problem here? Asking for a friend.

Does nobody believe in TH?
We do not know if that is true but it would not surprise me at all. I think players respect his grit and determination but he is limited.

The funny part is that Rivera doesn't believe in Wentz either. Without hesitation he blurted out "Quarterback" when asked about the differences in the NFC East. Nobody is buying his apology as he meant what he said. Keep in mind, he is basically saying that Wentz is behind Hurts, Jones, and Rush.

TH starting makes the Wentz trade worse?
How does this make sense? The Wentz trade was a disaster the moment it happened. Only Commanders fans thumped their chest after the trade. The rest of the NFL knew it was a joke. We were never just a QB away for the offense to click. We are averaging 17 points a game which is currently 29th in the NFL. What excuse will we make up now? This team would be 2-4 with TH at the helm. The Wentz experiment was over the second it happened.

Turner simply needed weapons for the offense to thrive = wrong
Turner simply needed more experience for the offense to thrive = wring
Turner simply needed a strong arm/legit QB for the offense to thrive = wrong

TH starts because he has 3 years in the system, he has more general NFL experience than Howell, and his strength of mobility helps mask the OLine's weakness. I wouldn't trust Rivera or Turner to run a lemonade shop in the desert, but the decision here makes sense. We all want to see Howell play, but it could do more harm than good for him at this time.

The bottom line is that almost the same criticism of TH (outside of arm strength) on this board can be said about Wentz. Let's call a ball a ball and a strike a strike.

2023 NFL Offense Total Team Stat Leaders - ESPN

ESPN is the place for NFL stats! Find a list of the Offense Total team stat leaders for the 2023 NFL Regular Season.

www.espn.com

 

[deanpet21]

Again , wince isn’t delivering on the hype , right now falco would have been at least 2-4 . wince needed to show more and I doubt he gets 6 more wins in his starts to be a mere 1 game better

Thats not the point! The point is RR gave up on TH and would of did anything for him not to be the starter here. Some fans were happy with the acquisition of Wentz b/c at the time they thought we upgraded at QB. TH starting makes the Wentz trade worst b/c if RR believed in TH he would have never made crazy trade offers to acquire another QB. The Wentz trade said that the team doesn't believe in TH. Thats how I took it. Now all of a sudden RR believes in TH. Wentz is not totally at fault for the 2-4 record. The team has failed around him, and you can pick a number of areas.

 

[deanpet21]

Plus, Howell has just as good mobility as TH and has a way stronger arm. Way more upside in my mind to play him now.

 

[duke1861]

There is some confusion here and comments are not making sense.

TH is a highly-rated backup. I think we are all in agreement with that. RR not believing in TH as an everyday starter has nothing to do with RR having confidence in him as a backup. The argument doesn't make any sense at all. If Rivera and Turner didn't believe or trust TH, he would have been cut in the offseason after Howell was drafted. Rivera, nor the fans want TH as a full-season starter, but he proved he can be a solid backup last year. He actually threw for roughly the same amount of yards as Carson Wentz in 2021. While Wentz is a better QB, TH did not perform terribly for a backup in the league.

Same goes for the depth chart, if Rivera doesn't believe in TH, then Howell would have been tapped as the backup from the get-go. The phrase "Rivera doesn't believe in TH" is being made up and makes no sense. TH is a backup period......he is NOT a full-time starter. Rivera would have cut TH if there were severe issues or trust between him and his play.

Some concerns with Howell coming out of the draft would NOT work well with the current offense. From profootballnetwork.com

Negatives: Tends to backpedal into the pocket and needs work on his drops. Not a real elusive quarterback who can be relied on to pick up yardage with his legs like he did in 2021. Lacks height and pocket stature.

While pocket management is difficult to be objective about given his subpar offensive line play, there are some areas where Howell could help himself. He needs to showcase greater awareness in the pocket. This comprises multiple elements, but mainly, his ability to avoid contact and willingness to step up and deliver from the pocket needs to be more consistent.

The NFL Network bio said:

Weaknesses

• Takes too many unnecessary sacks.

If these were knocks against him coming out, how does the current state of the offense help him? I took evaluations from 2 separate sources on this. Not being elusive, taking too many sacks, and struggling with pocket awareness would be catastrophic for Howell given our situation.

The comment that TH is just as mobile as TH is NOT the case according to experts.

Howell was described as "Not a real elusive quarterback"

TH was described as "He's best suited for a run-heavy or short-area attack, but his moxie, mobility and willingness to try big throws make him one of the more enticing emergency starters."

TH was actually ranked as the #5 backup by CBS Sportsline. Please see below.

Ranking the best backup NFL QBs of 2022: Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater among top veteran reserves

Assessing the best emergency options under center

www.cbssports.com

 

[chillerdab]

Howell was deemed “not ready” by the coach.
Not resigning TH to a backup role would be an error, in my opinion, unless you think you can find a 7 game winner as a backup qb elsewhere.

It isnt hard to understand, dean.

Our shit team is one game out of the playoffs, TH has won 7 games before, Howell is apparently not ready, and the team has a terrible oline.

 

[Sportster 72]

There is some confusion here and comments are not making sense.

TH is a highly-rated backup. I think we are all in agreement with that. RR not believing in TH as an everyday starter has nothing to do with RR having confidence in him as a backup. The argument doesn't make any sense at all. If Rivera and Turner didn't believe or trust TH, he would have been cut in the offseason after Howell was drafted. Rivera, nor the fans want TH as a full-season starter, but he proved he can be a solid backup last year. He actually threw for roughly the same amount of yards as Carson Wentz in 2021. While Wentz is a better QB, TH did not perform terribly for a backup in the league.

Same goes for the depth chart, if Rivera doesn't believe in TH, then Howell would have been tapped as the backup from the get-go. The phrase "Rivera doesn't believe in TH" is being made up and makes no sense. TH is a backup period......he is NOT a full-time starter. Rivera would have cut TH if there were severe issues or trust between him and his play.

Some concerns with Howell coming out of the draft would NOT work well with the current offense. From profootballnetwork.com

Negatives: Tends to backpedal into the pocket and needs work on his drops. Not a real elusive quarterback who can be relied on to pick up yardage with his legs like he did in 2021. Lacks height and pocket stature.

While pocket management is difficult to be objective about given his subpar offensive line play, there are some areas where Howell could help himself. He needs to showcase greater awareness in the pocket. This comprises multiple elements, but mainly, his ability to avoid contact and willingness to step up and deliver from the pocket needs to be more consistent.

The NFL Network bio said:

Weaknesses

• Takes too many unnecessary sacks.

If these were knocks against him coming out, how does the current state of the offense help him? I took evaluations from 2 separate sources on this. Not being elusive, taking too many sacks, and struggling with pocket awareness would be catastrophic for Howell given our situation.

The comment that TH is just as mobile as TH is NOT the case according to experts.

Howell was described as "Not a real elusive quarterback"

TH was described as "He's best suited for a run-heavy or short-area attack, but his moxie, mobility and willingness to try big throws make him one of the more enticing emergency starters."

TH was actually ranked as the #5 backup by CBS Sportsline. Please see below.

Ranking the best backup NFL QBs of 2022: Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater among top veteran reserves

Assessing the best emergency options under center

www.cbssports.com

I know it was preseason, did you see Howell's escapability and toughness. You watching the same guy or just regurgitating other peoples crap?

I am agreeing that TH gets one more chance because he knows the offense. Something neither Wentz or Howell has the same amount of time in. We'll see how it goes.

Okay, I am eating my share of crow, he did take 9 sacks in three games but he did run for 100 yards.

 

[gkekoa]

What we have in Heinecke…

a guy who went 1-4 to end the season…all against division opponents.